Closing the gender gap in engineering & technology

Shell is committed to helping women reach senior roles in engineering and technology. We aim to #makethefuture by closing the gender gap.

"Women account for 20% of engineering graduates, yet only 11% of the engineering workforce."

World Economic Forum

#makethefuture gender balanced

Shell has long supported and been committed to nurturing female talent. Yet external research1 suggests that women can often be pushed out of engineering and technology by stereotypes, biases and micro-inequities.

Shell promotes a culture that is gender balanced. This extends to the way we hire and develop our female talent. We run leadership workshops designed specifically for women. We offer a global minimum standard for maternity leave as well as flexible working arrangements. Through long term partnerships with universities and research centers, we also help women to gain exposure in fields where they are underrepresented, like science and engineering.

In the last five years, Shell has increased female representation on our Board of Directors from 8% to 45.5%2.

Recognising those working to close the gender gap

Shell is committed to helping to close the gender gap in engineering and technology. We're giving inspiring individuals, who are helping to close the gender gap, a stage to share their story.

Full stage shot Female 2 speaking. The projection on the screens behind her show digital animation of red blood cells. Cut to different shot of female 2 with science laboratory with microscope projected on screens.

[Female 2 voiceover and text on screen]

I do feel that I’m contributing in a very practical way, to changing perceptions about what a leader in engineering looks like

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Hayaatun Sillem,

CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering

The academy’s 1st female CEO, which still surprises people

[In vision]

Female 3 speaking

[Female 3 voiceover and text on screen]

The mission is to connect people, but also bring the voice of women into discussions

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Griselda Togobo.

Managing Director, Forward Ladies

Left engineering to lead a network that helps women reach leadership roles

[In vision]

Full screen is white and text appears.

There is a visual gap between the words ‘GENDER’ and ‘GAP’ in the text on screen, which is highlighted with an underscore that animates to literally close the gap.

[Text on screen]

Together we can close the gender gap

Every action counts

Share your story

[Audio]

Music fades out.

[In vision]

The Shell logo appears.

[Text on screen]

#MakeTheFuture

[Audio]

Shell mnemonic sound plays when the Shell logo appears.

RALLY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT INTRO 2

[Duration: 00:59]

[Audio]

Music begins.

[In vision]

Full screen with yellow animated text. The word ‘gap’ is spaced further away from gender and animates to close the visual gap. We see one of the speakers on the right.

[Text on screen]

The gender gap is real

[In vision]

Full screen with yellow animated text. The letters that make up ‘together’ feature 6 speakers

[Text on screen]

Together we’re working

[In vision]

Full screen with yellow animated text. The text zooms further in to reveal first speaker.

[Text on screen]

to close it

[In vision]

Female 1 is speaking with blue tech squares flashing on and off projected on the screens behind her.

[Female 1 voiceover and text on screen]

Gender balance is not a women’s issue, it’s a leadership issue

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

Full stage shot Female 2 speaking. The projection on the screens behind her show digital animation of red blood cells. Cut to different shot of female 2 with science laboratory with microscope projected on screens.

[Female 2 voiceover and text on screen]

I do feel that I’m contributing in a very practical way, to changing perceptions about what a leader in engineering looks like

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Hayaatun Sillem,

CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering

The academy’s 1st female CEO, which still surprises people

[In vision]

Female 3 speaking

[Female 3 voiceover and text on screen]

The mission is to connect people, but also bring the voice of women into discussions

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Griselda Togobo.

Managing Director, Forward Ladies

Left engineering to lead a network that helps women reach leadership roles

[In vision]

Full screen is white and text appears.

There is a visual gap between the words ‘GENDER’ and ‘GAP’ in the text on screen, which is highlighted with an underscore that animates to literally close the gap.

[Text on screen]

Together we can close the gender gap

Every action counts

Share your story

[Audio]

Music fades out.

[In vision]

The Shell logo appears.

[Text on screen]

#MakeTheFuture

[Audio]

Shell mnemonic sound plays when the Shell logo appears.

RALLY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT INTRO 3

[Duration: 00:59]

[Audio]

Music begins.

[In vision]

Stage shot with one female speaker lights off and as the lights come on animated text appears. The visual projected on the screens is yellow and red flower.

[Text on screen]

The gender gap is real

[In vision]

Full screen with yellow animated text. The letters that make up ‘together’ feature 6 speakers

[Text on screen]

Together we’re working

[In vision]

Full screen with yellow animated text. The text zooms further in to reveal first speaker.

[Text on screen]

to close it

[In vision]

Female 1 is speaking with blue tech squares flashing on and off projected on the screens behind her.

[Female 1 voiceover and text on screen]

Gender balance is not a women’s issue, it’s a leadership issue

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

Full stage shot Female 2 speaking. The projection on the screens behind her show digital animation of red blood cells. Cut to different shot of female 2 with science laboratory with microscope projected on screens.

[Female 2 voiceover and text on screen]

I do feel that I’m contributing in a very practical way, to changing perceptions about what a leader in engineering looks like

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Hayaatun Sillem,

CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering

The academy’s 1st female CEO, which still surprises people

[In vision]

Female 3 speaking

[Female 3 voiceover and text on screen]

The mission is to connect people, but also bring the voice of women into discussions

[in vision]

Split screen with freeze frame of female 1 and animated text on the left

[Text on screen]

Griselda Togobo.

Managing Director, Forward Ladies

Left engineering to lead a network that helps women reach leadership roles

[In vision]

Full screen is white and text appears.

There is a visual gap between the words ‘GENDER’ and ‘GAP’ in the text on screen, which is highlighted with an underscore that animates to literally close the gap.

What Shell is doing to support women in engineering & technology

Over 40% of Shell’s graduate intake into Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) is now female. Through our support for STEM we continue to enthuse, empower and equip future generations with the skills that will help them succeed in a changing world. In addition to ensuring we offer an attractive and visible employment proposition to female graduate candidates, we also seek to actively encourage girls to pursue craft and operator qualifications. Learn more about Shell’s STEM programmes.

We have designed two development programmes specifically for women with leadership potential. The Women’s Career Development Programme (WCDP) and its sister programme Senior Women Connect (SWC). Both help women at Shell to build their networks, develop their careers, sharpen leadership skills and overcome any obstacles they may face in the workplace. This personal and leadership development is supported by mentoring schemes run by our businesses as well as learning events organised by our Gender Balance employee networks in many locations.

We support flexible working arrangements for men and women. You can find out more about our work-life balance initiatives at Shell careers. Through a range of networks and programmes (such as Equal Lives) we also work to support the wellbeing of our employees.

Shell is focused on leading a conversation to close the gender gap in engineering and technology. This gap arises because of demographics within Shell and the wider energy industry.

Closing this gender representation gap will also enable us to close the gender pay gap. To learn more about the gender pay gap at Shell in the UK, please take a look at our review - opens in shell.co.uk and our animated video.

For further information on Diversity and Inclusion at Shell, check out our D&I website or download our D&I brochure

We have joined forces with the Royal Academy of Engineering to inspire the next generation of engineers. In 2018, we will endeavour to encourage people to look more closely at engineering, challenge associated stereotypes and showcase how rewarding and fulfilling careers in this field can be.